Youth Prevails as Adama Stops Karmazin in Nine

By Matthew Paras

It’s not often that fighters from Ghana and Russia headline a fight card in the United States yet when Osumanu Adama, 20-2 (15), and Roman Karmazin, 40-5-2 (26), faced off at The Club Chicago in Burbank, IL, they gave fans their money’s worth. In an IBF middleweight title eliminator, Adama impressively stopped Roman Karmazin in nine rounds to headline Chicago Fight Club’s third event.

Both fighters approached the fight with a similar game plan. In each round, Adama and Karmazin would pump out the jab, looking to set up other shots afterward. It was Adama, however, who would always beat the older Karmazin to the punch. Adama’s left hook became a key factor as the fight went on as Karmazin couldn’t slip the punches.

In round eight, Adama caught Karmazin early with a left hook that reeled the Russian to the ropes. While there, Adama followed it up with a beautiful right hand, buckling his opponent’s knees and for the rest of the round, Karmazin tried to survive. Still, it was Adama’s youth and speed that tagged the 38-year-old veteran throughout the round. At the end of the same round, Karmazin was again hurt off the same punches Adama landed earlier.

Coming out of the corner on shaky legs, it was only a matter of time before Karmazin was stopped. Adama followed up his assault by landing another combination that buckled Karmazin’s knees. Sensing that their fighter was in trouble, Karmazin’s corner threw in the white towel, stopping the fight.

With the win, Adama improved his win streak to three since his thrilling loss to Donovan George. For Karmazin, the future is unknown. The former junior middleweight champ landed when he threw more than one punch at a time but hardly pulled the trigger. Not being able to pull the trigger is a sign that retirement could be a very likely option.

The fight was the first fight in an IBF eliminator tournament to become the mandatory for IBF middleweight titlist Daniel Geale’s belt. Adama’s next opponent will most likely be the winner of the other eliminator, Sam Soliman against Eromosele Albert. Until then, Adama can patiently wait and enjoy his victory over the former junior middleweight titlist.

In the first fight of the evening, Junior Wright, 1-0 (1), captured the first victory of his career with a TKO over Darren Fletcher, 1-2 (1). Wright put together a right hand with a vicious left hook that slumped Fletcher over in the blue corner.

Chicago middleweight prospect Ramon Valenzuela, 6-0 (1), escaped with a majority decision win over Detroit native Sidney Gurley, 5-2 (4). The fight was scrappy with both men often fighting out of the clinch. Gurley targeted the body early but it was Valenzuela’s cleaner right hands that caught the judges’ eyes. Scores were 38-38, 39-37 and a mindboggling 40-36. Maxboxing had the fight 38-38.

Earning his first professional victory, Boban Simic, 1-0 (1), scored a third round TKO over Caleb Grummet, 1-2-1. In round three, Grummet suffered a gruesome laceration on his forehead from what appeared to be an accidental headbutt. This led to the fight being stopped right after Simic knocked down Grummet on a left hook. Referee Dave Smith ruled Grummet not fit to continue due to the cut, not the knockdown.

The fourth fight of the evening featured Chicago prospect Antonio Canas, 6-0 (3), winning a unanimous decision over Christopher Finley, 1-3 (1). Both fighters fought at a very fast pace with Canas getting the better of their exchanges. Canas’ impressive hand speed allowed him to target the body often and go directly upstairs afterward. All three judges scored the fight 39-37.

Winning by the scores of 59-55, 60-54, and 58-56, Sean Eklund captured a unanimous decision against Terry Buterbaugh. Eklund, son of former fighter Dicky Eklund and nephew of Micky Ward, outworked Buterbaugh in most of the rounds. With the win, Eklund improved to 10-4 (2) while Buterbaugh falls to 6-6-2 (3).

In a battle of journeymen, Eric Mitchell, 23-7-1 (11), pulled off the upset over Derrick Findley, 18-7 (11), by winning a split decision with scores of 95-94 Findley, and 95-94 and 96-93 both in favor of Mitchell. The first two rounds had Mitchell boxing from a distance and landing the cleaner punches. In round three, the tide turned as the fight was fought in close quarters. Even with the style change, Mitchell landed the cleaner blows throughout the fight. Mitchell’s overhand right connected often, stopping Findley from coming forward. Mitchell had a point deduction in the tenth for holding, which made the fight a split decision instead of a majority decision.